Here We Go Again

Does it seem like every year about this time things tend to go sour on the blog?

With the football season over and with no bowl game to look forward to this year it seems that many bloggers tend to go into a funk and go all negative about everything orange and green just about this time of the year. 

It doesn't have to be this way; really it doesn't.

Basketball season is just starting and Jim Larranaga's boys are doing quite well thank you very much. The men's hoopsters are out to a 7-1 start as they look forward to upcoming Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Last night in Orlando Durand Scott scored 17 points and Reggie Johnson added 16 points and 13 rebounds to help Miami to an easy 72-50 victory over Central Florida. Shane Larkin had 11 points and six assists and Kenny Kadji scored 10 for the Hurricanes (7-1), who led all game and won their sixth straight.

The Hurricanes now head out to Honolulu, Hawaii over the Christmas Break for the Diamond Head Classic Tournament which is a really nice gig if you can get it. Conference play begins in Atlanta against Georgia Tech on January 5.

Baseball season is also just around the corner, and after another great recruiting class by UM head coach Jim Morris, his diamond dogs should be poised for an excellent season.

In its annual breakdown of the country's top recruiting classes, Baseball America rated the Miami Hurricanes' 13-member group as the 10th-best incoming class in the nation. The publication's rankings were the second to recognize the Hurricanes' 2012 class, comprised of 11 true freshmen, one redshirt freshman and one junior. Collegiate Baseball newspaper rated the Hurricanes' 2012 class the ninth-best in the nation in its annual rankings released in late September.

It was the first time the Hurricanes had a group ranked in the top 10 by Baseball America since 2006, as Miami was recognized with the second-highest rated recruiting class in the ACC (UNC was No. 5).

The Hurricanes hard-ballers begin the 2013 season on Friday February 15 at 7:00 PM against Rutgers at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.

And speaking of recruiting the "silly season" has started once again as college football head coaches all over the Country beg, grovel and plead with high school seniors who all believe they are destined to be the next "great one" at their position and college of choice.

(Editor's Note to high school players: You better have a Plan B, trust me on this one).

This is the time of year when recruits begin to play their very own modern day version of the dating game with verbal comittments to teams that are on again or off again about as often as Al Golden says "certainly" or mentions "the process" or runs his fingers through his hair during a post-game presser.

If you are part of what now appears to be a National obsession when it comes to following the recruiting game and the whims and wishes of around 10,000 eighteen year old kids who are soon to be college football student-athletes then have at it. And, if you choose to waste your time by staying up all night worrying about who is going where then please, have at it.

Just don't count me among that crowd. Personally, I have no time for wondering what color shirt or hat a certain player wore to school one day or what he said, she said, he said. Especially when the great weather of the mild Florida Winter and the great outdoors reminds me why I live in the beautiful Sunshine State.

A wise man once said:" Worry is like a rocking chair; it keeps you busy, but gets you nowhere."

Call me on National Signing Day and then we will talk and compare notes.

Until then, well not so much. I'll be outside, playing.

Related articles

Pardon This Interruption For UM Basketball

Pardon This Interruption For UM Baseball

Miami Recruiting: Hurricanes' Top 5 Targets and Odds They Commit

Comments

[roachcane77]

Back from Manny at teh MH in 2009:

Canes lose another top recruit DT Louis Nix
University of Miami coach Randy Shannon has always said he doesn't buy into early commitments if players continue to take visits to other schools. He's compared it to be engaged to one woman while dating another. If that's the case, Jacksonville Raines defensive tackle Louis Nix (6-3, 318) just dumped UM for Notre Dame.
Nix, considered an ESPN Top 150 recruit and the seventh best defensive tackle in the country, had been flirting with the Irish since he first gave UM a "commitment" a year ago. He attended one of Notre Dame's summer camps in June and officially visited for its game against Michigan State in September. Then, he followed up with an unofficial visit for the USC game in mid-October.
Raines coach Deran Wiley said Wednesday morning he thinks Nix "won't be going back to the Canes" and is "really done with recruiting." Raines teammate Tavadis Glenn, a 6-5, 297-pound lineman, is still committed to UM. Wiley has said he thinks Glenn, who could end up playing on either side at UM, will stick to his word.
"Louis was a shock to me," Wiley said. "But I guess that's part of the recruiting world. To be honest with you, it's going to be boom or bust. I guess it's something totally different than what he's been around. As his coach, I have to support him."

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2009/12/canes-lose-another-top-recruit-dt-louis-nix.html#storylink=cpy

[roachcane77]

"If that's the case, Jacksonville Raines defensive tackle Louis Nix (6-3, 318) just dumped UM for Notre Dame."

I think he dumped us...

[86Cane]

CaneRock...here it is: IF I were Golden I would HIRE Blustein as Director of High School Scouting and Recruiting.

The local guys know these players since they were in Pop Warner and since they were HS freshman. They know their families, friends and coaches better than anyone.

And nobody has the experience, acceptance, connections and eye for talent like Blu.

[CaneRock]

CaneRock...here it is: IF I were Golden I would HIRE Blustein as Director of High School Scouting and Recruiting.

The local guys know these players since they were in Pop Warner and since they were HS freshman. They know their families, friends and coaches better than anyone.

And nobody has the experience, acceptance, connections and eye for talent like Blu.

Posted by: 86Cane | December 19, 2012 at 07:19 PM

Exactly, ain't nothin' new under the sun with Blue.

[5shipsago]

As it turns out it worked in his favor but you dump and you get dumped on. How did Tavadius Glenn work out for us! Did the dude even play college ball?

[5shipsago]

Fox Sports has our 2001 defense rated the best of all time during the BCS era.

[Mcginns ale house]

How does coach McDonald leaving for Ark. Affect us?

[AnthonyJManis aka Antcane]

86 Im off all next week. I can go to Ocala and get the shirts and bring them closer to you I live in North Lake countyso its no bigge. I just want my shirt. I have followed this site and tell all other cane fans to check it out. Plus I'm a coffe drinker and thats were the coffes at right?(ocala)

[86Cane]

McDonald leaves for SEC $$$:

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2012/12/mcdonald-takes-wr-job-at-arkansas.html

[86Cane]

Anthony...sounds like a plan. Email me at:

canespace86@aol.com.

[86Cane]

How does coach McDonald leaving for Ark. Affect us?

Posted by: Mcginns ale house | December 19, 2012 at 08:21 PM

Depends who we replace him with?

Lamar Thomas or Reggie Wayne!

[WWIN]

Semperfi,

We could have won the acc wit the #118 ranked defense lol. But I agree that the d needs to improve but we still could win without it.

[WWIN]

Semperfi,

We could have won the acc wit the #118 ranked defense lol. But I agree that the d needs to improve but we still could win without it.

[WWIN]

Sorry bout that re post

[WWIN]

Soup,

Yeah I meant "offensive water break" lol

[WWIN]

Soup,

I agree the locals know everything about the locals, I was saying that the pay site's don't really know

[CaneRock]

With McDonald leaving, let's see if AG can recruit coaches, I don't doubt He can.

[WWIN]

Damn you McDonald!!!

See soup my LOF coach got offered another job but he didn't get the LOF vote?????

[JCane]

Anyone else notice the new point guard commit is listed at 6'5" and 190 lbs. This is one big point guard by ncaa standards. If his fundamentals play out, he has the potential to be special.

Any thoughts on how likely it is that Knighton comes in as an EE?

TE commits look good, with a player for the here and now in JuCo Sandland, while building for the future with the incoming frosh.

[Tonycane]

Yatil green for wr coach!

[WWIN]

Tony,

Who does he coach???

[WWIN]

Roach,

I think that's the reason we stopped recruiting him because he kept taking visits and you know how RS feels about that

[HawaiiCane]

Lamar Thomas for our WR coach position!!!

[orange 'n green in the vein]

Big loss as McDonald was one of Golden's best assets as a coach.

Get Lincoln Riley from the OC box at East Carolina (no chance) or pry Doug Meachem or Kasey Dunn away from T. Boone's grasps out at Okie State and call it a day.

If one coach who's great at what he does can get a new job based on his work on the staff, one that's over 99% horrible can too if he'd just keep his name in the hat instead of waiting for that pink slip, right?

[roachcane77]

Yeah, I'm sure RS probably didn't help matters... (He was famous for his "doghouse" crew.)

OGV... No such luck... where else would he be able to keep his job with a 0% success rating? (Why would you leave a guaranteed paycheck, that was not in any way tied to your performance?)

Hopefully, he'll have better athletes to work with next year, and we'll "squeak" into the top 100 in total defense! (Then all the D'No lovers will declare him a success!)

I still have hope our 'O' will make up for our lack of 'D.'

[LB]

Didn't Thomas already get a gig? I'm sure he'd come home if asked, though.

[LB]

http://miami.rivals.com/viewcoach.asp?coach=1286&sport=1&year=2013

[86Cane]

Roach...is that U piling on a defenseless DENO? It looks like I may have to throw an unsportsmanlike conduct flag on U? LOL

[86Cane]

LB...Thomas was mentioned as a possibility for the new BC coaching staff but has not been offered or accepted yet I think?

BTW BC is building an impressive staff: WATCH OUT.

[MassivCane]

Don't be surprised if it is this guy:
http://www.fiusports.com/InsideAthletics/About/AdminStaffDirectory/FrankPonce.aspx

He knows the area and has connections. I think he can coach to.

[CaneRock]

Dumb ish that recruits say:

"I like their academics":

You haven't taken a single class yet, so how can you like something that you haven't learned yet.

"I get along with my position coach":

That's nice, BUT he hasn't coached you yet.

[Ohio_Cane]

Isn't this a lateral move for McDonald, or does he and everyone else see it as a move upward since it's the $EC?

[Ohio_Cane]

Recruiting update from Pete Ariz: This staff didn't "lose" Lavon Hooks. His grades did. Something about an online course that kept him out.

[semperfi_cane]

Bring Tim "Ice" Harris in as the receivers coach, and hope he can bring Matthew Thomas and Denver Kirkland with him. He's obviously a good coach, knows Dade County as well as anybody, is an alum, and served in a limited coaching capacity before at UM.

[TJL]

bring in Mario to coach the TE,s and move Carroll to wide receivers-ask Duper to come in and work with them as a consultant

[trianglecane]

magic benton wr coach

[86Cane]

Isn't this a lateral move for McDonald, or does he and everyone else see it as a move upward since it's the $EC?

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | December 20, 2012 at 08:55 AM

Bottom line: MO MONEY!

[86Cane]

SemperFi...prolly not gonna happen after his last stint under Shannon at UM?

TriangleCane...U really think that UM would hire Magic Benton over Lamar Thomas? U think Golden knows who Benton is? C'm on man, puff, puff...pass.

[CaneRock]

and move Carroll to wide receivers
Posted by: TJL | December 20, 2012 at 09:09 AM

In the words of Ed Reed, "HELL NAW"!

[CaneRock]

Dolphins, Canes, Heat, Marlins and TV/radio quick hits

A six-pack of quick hits:

### The Hurricanes privately are pleased with the results of what amounts to a tight end swap in the past two days – losing Travis Johnson (ESPN’s 102nd-ranked high school prospect) and adding Beau Sandland (ESPN’s 12th best junior college prospect and No. 2 tight end).

The Hurricanes were optimistic they would get Sandland when Johnson de-committed on Tuesday but didn’t find out for sure until Sandland informed them on Wednesday morning that he was picking Miami over Nebraska.

Though UM – along with Purdue – have been considered the top candidates for Indiana-based Nate Wozniak (rivals.com’s 38th-best tight end), Sandland told canesport.com that the Hurricanes have told him that they will not recruit another tight end, beyond Sandland and previous oral commitments Standish Dobard (ESPN’s 138th-best high school prospect) and St. Petersburg-based Jeremy Kerr.

Sandland (24 catches, 267 yards last season) will compete with Asante Cleveland, Dyron Dye and David Perry and the two incoming freshmen to back up Clive Walford and play in tandem with Walford in two tight-end sets. Sandland is in line for playing time if he pans out, considering Cleveland hasn’t lived up to coaches’ expectations.

It actually would make sense for UM to move Dye back to defensive end – a position of need - but UM says it won’t seriously consider any position switches for anybody until after the New Year.

“They wouldn’t be recruiting a JUCO kid so hard if they didn’t need someone to come in and contribute,” Sandland told Canesport.
Among junior college tight ends the Canes have added over the years, the hope is Sandland is closer to Jeremy Shockey than Chase Ford.

PS: Can we stop with the Shockey comparisons already. Shockey was only the best College TE that I've seen in the last 20 years, so to put those expectations on a kid is unfair.